Stay on target

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is huge. Not just in terms of hype and importance and sales potential, but just in terms of sheer stuff. The Nintendo Switch mascot fighter features over a hundred stages, nearly a thousand songs, and too many Pokemon and items and Assist Trophies to think of crammed onto a cartridge you can plan on the go or on a TV. When you have as many big franchises as Nintendo, putting them all in one game will make that game is very big boy indeed.

But the biggest, most exciting thing about Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is its mind-blowing, heartwarming roster of playable characters. Fighting games pride themselves not just on the strength of their mechanics but the strength of its fighters, especially in a crossover fighters like this. And Super Smash Bros. Ultimate crushes all rivals by including every single playable character from the across the four previous games in the twenty-year-old series. Include the new combatants and so far we have over 70 fighters to wrap our heads around. We’re excited, but we’re also intimidated. So to get ready for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, every day, character by character, we’re creating the ultimate guide to all of its characters. Today’s fighter: Mario.

Who Are They?

Do you really not know who Mario is? This Italian-American stereotype is the face of Nintendo and therefore the global mascot for video games as an entertainment form. And it’s all because he’s been very good at jumping on turtles since 1981. The digital plumber isn’t actually the oldest character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. But he is arguably the most famous and classic. There was no way Mario wasn’t going to be in this game. It’s like not focusing on Mickey Mouse in your Disney-themed JRPG.

Smash History

Mario has been in Smash Bros. since the franchise’s debut on Nintendo 64. He’s the well-rounded character they want you to play first and his moves are designed to introduce the core mechanics of the unique fighting system. He’s like Ryu in Street Fighter. In fact, his fireball, super jump punch, and tornado attacks, in addition to feeling true to Mario games, also map onto familiar hadoukens, shoryukens, and hurricane kicks in Street Fighter II’s foundational fighting system. Since then Mario has appeared in every Smash Bros. game going forward, occasionally gaining new moves like his FLUDD waterpack, but mostly staying the same.

What Looks New in Ultimate?

Since the last Smash Bros. game Mario has had two exciting new adventures in the form of Super Mario Maker and Super Mario Odyssey, and you can now wear outfits from those games in Smash Ultimate with Builder Mario and Wedding Mario. Mario’s also seen some balance changes, perhaps most noticeably his altered up tilt and throws seemingly reducing his combo potential. Even still, as a character he was still strong enough to win the E3 tournament.

Our Hopes?

I really love that Mario isn’t just an accessible Smash Bros. character but like a really really good one, too. It’s awesome that you can play as Mario and instead of being basic and boring he’s super fun. He’s got a lot of the tools that make Smash so enjoyable with his speedy grab game and aerial spikes. I just hope he remains viable in Ultimate.